Teachers in Uttar Pradesh could be booked for forcing students to opt for private tuition as chief minister Yogi Adityanath rolled out plans to cleanse the state’s education sector

Mass copying at a centre in Uttar Pradesh’s Aligarh district. Chief minister Yogi Adityanath has asked police to book authorities of education centres where mass copying has been reported during the ongoing UP board exams.(HT file photo)

Uttar Pradesh chief minister Yogi Adityanath has asked police to book teachers of state-run colleges for forcing students to avail private tuition, officials said on Tuesday, as the BJP government set about cleaning up the state’s education system.

Police will also file cases against authorities of examination centres which have been blacklisted after incidents of mass copying during the ongoing class 10 and 12 exams conducted by the Board of High School and Intermediate Education Uttar Pradesh, commonly known as the UP board.

Yogi took a raft of decisions during a marathon meeting on Monday night with education department officials, and hinted at an ordinance to check private schools, many of which are accused of charging exorbitant fees.

“Restoring credibility of UP’s examination system is high on the CM’s agenda,” a government official said, days after the state was rocked by incidents of mass copying in several examination centres.

The state’s examination racket is said to worth hundreds of crores of rupees and a ‘copying mafia’ allegedly helps lakhs of students every year to systematically cheat with the help of a section of teachers and invigilators who also earn handsome profits.

Principal secretary for secondary education, Jitendra Kumar, refused to reveal what was discussed at the meeting, but sources said chief minister emphasised on making the examination system free from the menace of copying mafia.

The meeting followed deputy chief minister Dinesh Sharma’s visit to several education centres in the wake of the mass copying exams.

Sources said the BJP government is considering setting up a basic education service selection board to bring transparency in recruitment.

Yogi told ministers and officials that while he wanted students to report to school on time, the same should be the case for teachers. The education department has been asked to maintain biometric attendance records of teachers.

All senior ministers including the chief minister would make surprise inspections of schools to assess the ground reality, sources told HT.

During the meeting, the CM asked all department heads to explain their 100-day agenda for revamp of the education sector.

“His thrust was on ensuring that within 100 days changes should be visible in the education sector,” an official said, adding that all the cabinet ministers sat through the nearly six-hour-long presentations.

UP universities have also been asked to prepare for a common curriculum regime and regularisation of academic session.

Yogi was especially interested in knowing how the officials planned to roll out BJP government’s promise to provide free books, uniform, shoes and school bags to all poor students between July 1 to 10.

“I don’t want any student from poor family coming to school barefoot. Please ensure dress, books, bags and shoes are provided free of cost to the poor students. I don’t students to suffer just because their parents are poor,” Yogi was quoted as saying.

All universities including technical universities and engineering colleges will also have wifi facilities within 100 days.